"Poppy do you have that file for the Webster case?"
I held out the manila folder that had been crudely scribbled on and smiled at the other girl I was working with.
I'd been here for two days, one technically considering yesterday was my first full day and I was already snowed under and everyone I worked with and for seemed to think I was a lot more capable than I actually was.
But I knew I shouldn't complain, third job interview lucky and one Monday afternoon induction later and here I was on my second day at Saunders Law, which was a firm that was in high demand and had high prices.
I also couldn't really turn it down considering Lindsee and I went homewares shopping on Sunday and ended up spending over five hundred pounds on crockery.
But that was a pretty good steal, we'd convinced ourselves of this afterwards, because that five hundred pounds included two twelve piece dinner sets, fourteen mugs, eight glasses and a set of really nice matte black sixteen piece cutlery.
And a twenty four piece set that was black and white which Lindsee wanted purely because it matched the single mug she bought which was cow print.
If that entire forty five minute spending spree wasn't enough, we'd walked past an Anthropologie shop and I got dragged inside without even knowing what was happening.
That resulted in an almost two hundred pound bill.
But in our, or rather my defence considering I was the one who kind of went bat shit crazy in that store despite my best friend being the one to drag us in, they had these really cool and pretty geode coasters that honestly just blew my mind.
So I ended up getting two of each colour, pink and blue and they had this really pretty pale pink geode cheese board.
So I got one of those too.
Not that either of us ever actually did a cheese board, I mean; I was sure the two of us ate enough cheese for the population of London but it was usually when it was on something, like pizza or chips; in fact anything we could put melted cheese on.
I flopped back into my chair, my eyes darting to the cute little clock I'd put on my desk and sighed, only forty five minutes left of my day.
I'd forgotten how hard it was working eight hours a day.
I mean, I knew it was a long day, it wasn't like I hadn't done it before and arguably this was better than being at a café or even being back at the flower shop because I was on my feet all day there.
At least I had a desk here.
But it probably was my fault considering I'd kinda gone crazy on the way home on Monday after my interview and subsequent induction because apart from the few things I'd worn for my internship in New York, I did not have office appropriate workwear clothing.
Hence the brand new pair of black and grey check ponte trousers I was wearing, coupled with a pair of brand new Lipsy heels which I'm pretty sure I was now bleeding in, despite them not even being that high!
Four inches!
But it was probably my fault for buying a brand new pair of shoes and immediately wearing them for the next two days in a row.
It also didn't help that the city was absolutely sweltering at the moment, the mid July heat wave couldn't have been more perfectly timed. The air conditioning in the office was beautiful and the mornings and evening before and after work were delightful.
Lindsee and I had spent yesterday evening in a pub garden and ended up slightly tipsy.
The only downside to this heat was the fact it made the tube even more unbearable. Being jammed inside a train carriage with at least fifty other people at half past eight in the morning when it was already twenty three degrees?
No thanks.
"Caroline Webster is coming in tomorrow for the meeting about getting the restraining order extended. She apparently was warned by the police that it might not happen and probably wouldn't if she continued with the divorce."
I frowned as I looked up at my boss, Cynthia.
"That doesn't make sense."
"I know." Cynthia rolled her eyes and sighed before she glanced at my desk. "It's probably going to be rough tomorrow. I thought I'd warn you."
"Thanks." I smiled, nodding, "I have a strong stomach."
I didn't.
Cynthia laughed before she bid me a goodbye and I chewed my lip as my eyes slid to the clock, only twelve more minutes to go.
I didn't know if it was because we were just different from American's anyway or what but Cynthia was nice.
Not to say that Jessica my old boss back in New York wasn't, she was just different. Jessica was dressed in head to toe black every day with towering heels that would make you wince as you watched her cross drains without blinking.
Whereas Cynthia was dressed in a pretty white dress and a pair of black leather mules.
But she still looked professional and like she was worth the four hundred pounds an hour she charged, and I mean I'd seen her in action yesterday in a meeting with another client that she'd just finished with.
She was worth it. And also incredibly scary.
I glanced over the file containing Caroline Webster's case, she was filing for divorce because her husband was abusive.
Or rather he was allegedly abusive, which meant he definitely was. But she was the one who came from money and therefore he was trying to contest the divorce by saying she was always the one in charge.
And without her, they'd signed a prenuptial agreement, he'd have nothing and their children would suffer.
I'd seen some of the police photos from the first time she'd decided to attempt to press charges against him, it was not pretty.
"See you tomorrow Poppy. You did well today!"
I looked up to see Josh, the other paralegal who I'd gotten to know, smiling at me as he headed out of the office and I gave him a quick wave. He was nice, he'd been here for a couple of years and mostly handled adoption cases with his boss John.
I may or may not have had lunch with him both days in a row and it definitely didn't hurt that he was as cute as he is.
I gathered up my stuff and made sure everything was still safely in my bag as I picked up my blazer and hung it over my arm, bidding quiet goodbyes to the few people who were still left in the office before heading over to the lift.
I chewed my lip as I walked down the warm pavement towards the tube station, my eyes finding the Starbucks I'd been in this morning and at lunch, it really didn't help that it was smack bang in the middle between the station and the office.
I controlled myself as I walked past, refusing to look inside. It was a terrible habit and I knew I was going to be quickly spending my paycheque when it arrived at the beginning of next month.
It just wasn't enough; one coffee before I left the house in the mornings.
I tapped my oyster card easily, the beep being drowned out by the many other machines beeping and I quickly and carefully joined the queue of people on the escalator going down. I groaned as a blast of hot air hit me in the face and I decided I was definitely wearing a dress tomorrow.
I fished around in the bottom of my bag for my keys and quickly pushed the air pod back into my ear as I felt it start to slip out, my attention waning from the murder podcast I was listening to.
"Poppy."
I looked up at the call of my name and spotted the familiar large black car and the tall brunette leaning against the door and I pulled one earphone out as my heart skipped a beat.
"Harry? What are you doing here?"
I came to a stop just outside the front door of my building, watching as Harry ran a hand through his hair, briefly mesmerised as the curls flopped about before he stuffed both hands into the pockets of his trousers.
I swallowed as I took notice of what he was wearing, a pair of tight beige and black houndstooth trousers and a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbow and I tried not to stare at the way his thighs budged.
"I wanted to talk to you and I was um, I was going to ring but I didn't know if your number was still the same and then I didn't really want to do this over the phone so I thought I'd um come by. Sorry if this is weird, I did ring your buzzer but no one answered."
"Oh, I've been at work. And yeah my number is still the same." I smiled easily, I didn't think I'd be so endeared by Harry mumbling.
"Good."
I nodded slightly as we stood on the pavement and I could feel my feet starting to cool down and I was looking forward to getting these shoes off. I chewed my lip as the silence dragged on and I rolled my eyes at myself for being awkward.
"So what's up? Did you wanna come in? It's hot out here." I offered.
"Um no, it's okay. I shouldn't, I've gotta get home for Gatsby."
I nodded at his refusal before looking up at him curiously, "So..."
"I um," Harry paused as I watched him tug at his lip, "Are you free Friday? Friday night?"
"Yeah, I think so." I swallowed, "I finish work at five and get home around now. Why?"
I gestured vaguely with my hand for who knows what reason but I did know it was about quarter to six now which I liked. That was one thing I hated about living out of the city in New York, how long it took to get home.
"Would you like to go out with me?" Harry asked and I blinked.
"Like a date?"
Why did I ask that? What on earth was wrong with me?!
"Yeh'. A date. Would you like to go on a date with me?" Harry rephrased his question.
I almost collapsed as I felt my face grow red, whether it was because of Harry or the heat I wasn't entirely sure. Although secretly I did know and I also knew that this had never happened before.
Harry had never asked me on a date the first time around. What was so different now?
"Yeah." I smiled, flushing as I realised I'd left him hanging.
"Cool." Harry grinned before it faltered and dropped away making me swallow. "I'll pick you up at seven, is that okay?"
"Sure. Um, what should I wear?"
I chewed my lip as Harry glanced down my body, my cheeks heating to an inferno and I tried not to get carried away with myself.
"Nothing fancy." Harry finally answered me and I swallowed, nodding. "I'll um see you on Friday."
I nodded again as I smiled, aware that my brain was going into overdrive already.
"See you Friday Harry."
I bit my lip to contain my grin as I pressed in the security code and glanced over my shoulder as I pulled the door open, aware of Harry sitting in his car and I gave him a small wave before I stepped inside, hearing his car pull away.
I squealed loudly once I was alone in the lift, my heart running a mile a minute as I tried to contain my excitement, Harry had actually asked me on date!
I legitimately didn't think I'd ever been on a date before, definitely not on a date with Harry.
I practically skipped down the hallway towards my front door, unlocking it easily and I realised what Harry said was true, Lindsee wasn't home yet. But she usually was in after me.
I shook away my thoughts of my best friend as I headed into my room, shedding my clothes immediately and I sighed as my hot bare feet hit the cool wooden floor of my room as I flopped back against my bed.
I pulled myself up as I found a pair of shorts, in fact they were my Mothman shorts and a swapped my bra for a sports bra and pulled open the top drawer of my bedside table. I found the small blue box easily and sat back down on my bed.
I pulled my legs up underneath me as I pulled the top off, the smaller black box coming into view and I swallowed.
There was no need to be nervous about this now was there? Harry and I were, well I didn't know actually apart from the fact we both missed each other. I mean, I wasn't sad per se, it was fine.
I was fine, I could look at the ring. Everything was going to be fine.
I opened the box slowly, my joy disappearing as I gazed upon the empty box and my heart almost fell out of my arse as my stomach churned.
The box was empty.
Why was the box empty? It definitely should not have been empty, it wasn't empty when I went to New York. I remembered putting the ring in there!
How long had it been empty?!
Oh my god, how was I going to tell Harry?
I dropped the empty box on the bed as I tore through the drawer, no sign of the ruby ring anywhere and I pulled at my hair, tears growing in my eyes. I didn't understand, how could I have lost it?
Where could it have gone?
The only people that had been in my room were myself, Lindsee who didn't even know the ring existed and also wasn't a thief, Niall and Harry but neither of them would have been near it. I had packed the drawer that this had been in.
Giovanni.
My heart stopped as I realised Giovanni had been in my room, my house too and I sucked in a shaky breath. Was he ever up there alone? Not as far as I could remember, apart from that night Harry turned up.
But he'd been asleep!
But he was already inside my house when I'd come home with Lindsee that one day and the day I'd come back from interviews, he and Lindsee were inside. But she wouldn't have let him roam about freely, surely.
I heard the front door open and close and Lindsee call out to me but that seemed miles away as I sat on my bed, tears leaking my eyes. I loved that ring and it had meant so much to me.
"Poppy?"
I looked up as my bedroom door was pushed open and Lindsee appeared and I wiped at my eyes as she rushed over to me, asking what was wrong and I shook my head.
"I lost my ring." I said pathetically, my voice wavering.
"What ring?" Lindsee asked, only furthering my point; she didn't even know of its existence.
I shook my head at her as I realised it truly must only be Giovanni at fault here and I grabbed my phone.
I didn't particularly ever want to speak to him again but if he had my ring then I wanted it back, I would go to the police and make sure I got it back. Lindsee watched silently as I tapped out a message, my sadness turning to anger.
I couldn't even tell her I had a date on Friday.
Give me my ring back. If I find out you've stolen it and taken it to New York I will get it back, and I will stop at nothing to get it. Fuck you Giovanni.